Posts Tagged ‘Macon GA’

Rep. DuBose Porter and Sen. Robert Brown complain that Governor Perdue values an Agri-Center and Go-Fish program in his home county more than a veteran’s home in another county.

Finally, Georgia Democratic legislative leaders are going into action over the way Governor Sonny Perdue is going about reducing state expenditures. They think he needs legislative input in what shall be cut and are calling for a special session of the legislature to deal with the state’s financial crisis. They believe Governor Perdue’s actions are leading to a financial disaster for the state.

For instance, they think it is very wrong close down a home for veterans while pumping millions into a horse park expansion at the Agri-Center in Perry and a Go-Fish program, both in the Perdue’s home county.

“It is necessary for the state to make budget changes due to the weakening general economy. However, closing the domiciliary at the War Veterans Home is shameful and rolling back tax money due to local governments will impose an unnecessary tax increase on working families,” according to Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon). ”]

“The longer we wait the bigger the budget deficit will be and this will hurt education, economic development, health care and anywhere else that government has a role. Under this current process, the Governor has forced agency heads to make decisions such as closing the War Veterans Home, state parks and furloughing state employees with no input from the house or senate. Without a special session now, we will continue to move Georgia backwards and force an increase in local taxes,” adds House Democratic Leader Dubose Porter (D-Dublin).

Georgia State Rep. BuBose Porter (D)

“Perhaps most galling, when our country is fighting two wars, Governor Perdue believes it is acceptable to evict 81 veterans from the Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville, for a savings of $2.7 million. Meanwhile, projects such as a $7.3 million horse park expansion at the Agri-Center in Perry and $19 million for the Go-Fish program, both in the Governor’s home county, continue to move forward.

“These people volunteered to serve their country and put their lives on the line for our freedom, but instead we are going to let them go homeless while we make boat ramps and horse shows a priority during a budget crisis. Those are not the values of Georgia’s citizens or Georgia Democrats.” said Senator Brown. “This is no longer just a fiscal issue. This is a moral issue.”

Senator Brown and Representative Porter noted that waiting for January to fix the problem is no solution at all. “With every day that goes by, the budget gets further out of balance, and we get deeper and deeper into a hole,” said Representative Porter.